This application claims the priority of German Application No. 103 39 307.2-21 filed Aug. 27, 2003, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to an impact protection system for a door of a motor vehicle which extends between upright door frames of a door body and, on one side, is connected with a hinge column by way of hinges and, on the other side, adjacent to a lock of the door, is connected with an additional column, which hinge column and additional column are integrated in a body structure of a body of the motor vehicle.
A known door arrangement—French Patent Document FR 2.207.039—of a motor vehicle comprises two doors inserted into a side wall, into which doors impact protection systems are integrated. Each impact protection system is formed by two mutually spaced side members which are equipped with hinges on the side facing a hinge column and are supported on the side adjacent to a lock column by means of extensions on the lock column. Pins are mounted on the lock column which engage in openings of the extensions such that the extensions interact with the pins in the event of lateral loads of the side members.
German Patent Document DE 2 006 498 relates to a system for protecting occupants of motor vehicle which is arranged in a door, emerges on faces from the above-mentioned door and is anchored to adjoining columns of a body of the motor vehicle. This system is formed, for example, by a cable which is connected with the column by way of a coupling.
It is an object of the invention to provide an impact protection system for a door which, in the event of a side impact, in a targeted manner absorbs impact energy, among others, in the area of the lock column as a result of deformation work and tensile force absorption.
According to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, this object is achieved by providing an impact protection system for a door of a motor vehicle, which extends between upright door frames of a door body, and on one side, is connected with a hinge column by way of hinges and, on the other side, adjacent to a lock of the door, is connected with an additional column, which hinge column and additional column are integrated in a body structure of a body of the motor vehicle, wherein the lock is mounted on the impact protection system and, in a closed condition of the door, an engaging device of the door interacts with a receiving device of a deformation device which is fastened to the additional column of the vehicle body structure.
Further advantageous features of preferred embodiments of the invention are described herein and in the claims.
Important advantages achieved by means of the invention are that, as a result of the mounting of the lock on the impact protection system and the engagement of the above-mentioned lock in the deformation device on the column of the motor vehicle structure, the energy absorption in the event of a side impact is optimized by tensile forces acting upon the deformation device and its therefore initiated deformation work. In this case, the engaging device of the lock and the receiving device on the deformation device remain in a defined design position up to a defined shock load acting upon the impact protection system; that is, the lock is not released or opened. The deformation device is a component which can be produced by means of simple devices and can easily be integrated in the vehicle body structure. Finally, the impact protection system formed by consoles and supporting elements can be implemented by acceptable means and is distinguished by high strength while its weight is low, in which case the impact protection system can be a prefabricated module which can be inserted into the interior door part during the assembly of the door.
The drawing shows an embodiment of the invention which will be described in detail in the following.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.